Hugh Duffy, Shortstop, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This baseball card, "Hugh Duffy, Shortstop, Chicago," comes from the Old Judge series, printed by Goodwin & Company in 1888 as a promotional item for their cigarettes. Consider what it meant to be an athlete in the late 19th century. This card, like others in the series, captured players in posed studio shots, rather than in action, contributing to the construction of celebrity and the romanticism of the sport. Hugh Duffy, an Irish-American, was part of the wave of immigrants who found opportunities and fame in America's burgeoning sports scene. This small card reflects larger societal trends: the rise of consumer culture, the growing popularity of baseball, and the complex dynamics of immigration and identity. The Old Judge series tells us as much about America’s dreams as it does about baseball.